Frank Kush trying to move on after wife Fran's death

Hard to believe, isn't it? For many of us, Kush is frozen in time, forever the fiery, demanding coach who stalked the Arizona State sideline for 21 years.

But everyone, even a legend, grows old.

"The aging process gradually catches up to you," said Kush, who will turn 82 on Jan. 20. "Unfortunately, I won't admit it."

Kush is fighting time with the same fervor with which he coached. He's in his sixth-floor office at ASU's Intercollegiate Athletic Complex by 9 a.m. most days. (His title is Director of Sun Devil Football, but mostly he plays a role in fund-raising and is a conduit to longtime boosters and alums).

He snow-skis with his grandkids, hikes and works out three to four times a week. This, despite having knee replacement surgery in December of 2009.

Friday, he'll present the Frank Kush offensive line award to Chandler Hamilton's Christian Westerman at the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame luncheon at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort.

"Believe me, you have to stay busy," Kush said. "You need a diversity of activity."

The hectic schedule has been a blessing as of late. Fran Kush, his wife of 57 years, died in late November. She suffered from lupus, macular degeneration and was hospitalized after fracturing her pelvic bone in a fall.

"She was just in so much pain for four years," Kush said. "We put her in rehab, but it didn't do any good at all. She just gradually deteriorated."

Kush played the tough guy in public, but Fran was the rock in their marriage. His longtime friends are worried about him; they don't how he'll hold up without Fran's support.

"I'm concerned about his health," said Charlie McBride, who has been a friend of Kush's since he was hired as an ASU assistant coach in 1967. "You have to know Frank. On the outside he's a tough, ornery old guy, but on the inside he's mush."

That duality is evident during a 20-minute conversation. Kush is still as feisty and opinionated as ever, whether it's regarding ASU football - "We need a quarterback. I think we have one of the best defenses in the country, but you look at all those bowl games and the difference between the winning team and the losing team is the quarterback," - or the need for coaches to instill discipline.

"Players have to fear their head coach," he said. "Without that, a team can't win."

But when the conversation turns to Fran, his voice softens and his eyes moisten. At Fran's visitation, Kush, ever the coach, motioned to the coffin and said, "I want to tell her to get her butt out of there and get in the kitchen."

"That was so Frank," said McBride's wife, Debbie. "It was perfect."

But in the privacy of his office, with only a single visitor, that verve is gone. All that's left is sadness.

"I have pictures of Fran at the house, and if I think of her, tears come to the eyes," Kush said. "I knew her for 60 years. It's hard."

Fortunately, Kush has family and friends to lean on. His three sons - Danny, David and Damian - all reside in the Valley, and Damian lives with his father and travels with him to ASU away games.

"I know they help him a lot," Debbie said. "That's been a blessing."

For now, Kush marches on, stubborn as ever, refusing to give in to the number of candles on his birthday cake. But the time will come - perhaps soon - when he isn't going into the office every day and raising funds and working out and becoming frustrated with his golf game.